If By Chance
Snowfall
The dark grey of winter was beginning to peak across the skyline of the city as Gillian Foster made her way across the parking lot of the city's largest mall.
The sky was thickening, dark and brooding above her. They were calling for snow; lots of it, heaps of it. Every time she turned on the radio, the television, the weatherman was adding inches to his previous guesstimation.
She hadn't seen snow of this magnitude since she was a little girl.
Locked within her house with her mother and father, her father had taught her chess; a game she now had mastered, had beat Cal at on a number of occasions.
Her father had taken the time to teach her everything he knew about the glorious game during those long days and nights. They had lost all power; had no TV to fill the house with noise, no radio to report the day's record breaking snowfall.
She smiled as she remembered them sitting together in the living room, a warm fire burning bright. Her mother had sat rocking, reading in the dim glow of the fire. Gillian had perched herself on her father's lap as they played each side, logistically mapping out each set of moves. Those were the times she missed; a time long gone.
She had learned the fine art of masking her expressions during this game, had developed her ability to keep her opponent guessing her next strategic move. And of course, with Cal it was always an easy game. He'd be so frustrated with not only her expert moves, but by his inability to read her facial expressions. She could take her time, toy with him, knowing full well his king would soon be hers.
Now with a heavy bag of groceries, two bottles of her favourite Australian Shiraz, and new plush throw tucked in her arms, she was ready and willing to lock herself into her house and let the snow fall around her. She relished at the thought of the world as it fell silent, covered by a thick blanketing of glistening white.
The multi-story car park ahead of her, she rounded the corner to her end of the parking lot, found it eerily vacant, all but for her silver Prius; a recommendation from Cal. She attempted to reach for her keys in the stillness, but found it difficult with her arms full of her treasures.
She sighed and stepped away from the comfort of the tall building, looked to her left and right, found herself alone in the lower level of the vacated cemented tower. Her heels echoed around her, made her eerily aware of her solitude.
She quickened her pace, edged closer to the car, griping tightly to her packages.
Her silence was quickly disrupted by the squealing of tires, the breaking of glass and a loud popping noise. Gillian Foster found herself suddenly engulfed by the darkness of the night.
She looked over her shoulder, watched as headlights shone on her, as the dark van rounded the corner she had passed. Instantly, she dropped her bags; wine bottles crashing to the cement flooring. Canned goods spilled out, rolled under the silver car as she pushed her hands heavily into her pockets retrieving her keys.
She did not look over her shoulder, did not look to watch as three dark hooded men jumped from their vehicle and ran toward her.
She managed to get the door open, managed to crawl inside, but it was not long before strong hands gripped tightly to her ankles and pulled her violently from her safety.
A/N: Just a teaser to wet your whistle... Fair warning... I'm hoping to string you along with this one for a bit... T now... will probably quickly jump to M... real soon...